


Dancing for the Devil

by ddagent



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon, F/M, Romance, Strip Tease, Therapy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-06-08
Updated: 2012-06-08
Packaged: 2017-11-07 07:30:35
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 9,862
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/428480
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ddagent/pseuds/ddagent
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Since her return three months ago, Gold and Belle have done nothing but argue. Archie believes Belle is pushing him for a reaction. After a tearful clash too many, Belle offers Gold a deal that will either push him over the edge or push him away for good.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Dancing for the Devil

**Author's Note:**

> Okay, so this is my stripper!Belle fic. It went from Belle-is-a-stripper to Belle-makes-a-deal-and-offers-to-dance-for-him. It's gone under numerous edits, but I'm happy with this result. I hope you are too! Big thank you to 3pirouette for reading over this in its early stages and for helping me confirm the differences between American lemonade and British lemonade. 
> 
> While I go and make sure my current efforts in the kitchen are not burning, please enjoy this smut.

"So, are we ready to talk about Belle today?"

 

Rumpelstiltskin, more commonly known in this land without magic as Mister Gold, sighed. Was he ready to talk about Belle? He trusted Archie; gods know he wouldn't be talking to him twice weekly if he didn't have some faith in the man. But whether he was willing to take that step, to actually talk about her, was something else entirely. Their first sessions had been about Bae; later ones had concerned his relationship with his parents. It was only after three months of sessions that they even considered talking about his Belle.

 

Deciding he may as well begin it all, Gold nodded once. Archie smiled weakly and turned to his note book, no doubt he had many questions to ask. "What do you remember of the moment you first saw Belle in the forest?"

 

He sighed, the memory of his girl still fresh in his mind."Sheriff Swan had called me in. She'd found a girl about a mile from the monastery and thought that I might be able to put a name to the face."

 

Archie shook his head, reaching out his hand. "Not why you were there, Mister Gold. What do you remember of when you first laid eyes on her in the forest?"

 

"I remember crying." She had looked so small, wrapped up in a blanket from the boot of Emma's car. But she was alive and still his and he wanted to hold her so badly."I remember feeling like things would be okay now, because she was there."

 

Archie made some notes, before turning back to Gold. He seemed a little confused as to their relationship. "You two knew each other before she disappeared, didn't you." It wasn't a question, merely a statement. Gold tried to figure out the best way to explain it. It was simpler to access the memories the curse had provided for him.

 

"She used to work in my shop, pay off her father's debts. We got...close."

 

"Close as in how?"

 

The curse - _Damn Regina_ \- provided him with a memory of a sweet kiss in the back of his office. Just the image of the two of them in the sanctuary of his shop. But it was nothing compared to the reality, to her hand on his thigh, to the feel of her soft lips against his. "We were in love. But I didn't see how she could have the same feelings for me. I made a mistake and I fired her and she left my shop and I never saw her again."

 

Gold clung to his knees, not wanting to look at Archie. For twenty eight years that memory had tortured him, that and the memory of his missing son. When Emma had returned he was still burdened with the pain, but the hope that Belle would return had been extinguished. Then she was suddenly back and his heart had been torn again. Up and down like a seesaw.

 

"It's understandable she would be harbouring a little resentment if you questioned her feelings. What I don't understand is how that led to her smashing in your windows with my umbrella."

 

Gold chuckled at that. His Belle had always been fierce, a trait that had carried on into the world of the curse. "She didn't take too kindly to me putting her father in hospital. Which is a discussion for another session, I believe Doctor Hopper."

 

Archie nodded, letting him have that. "Okay, okay. Do you still love Belle?" Gold turned his gaze towards the window, not wanting to look at the cricket turned psychologist. "Simple question, Mister Gold. Do you still love her, after all this time?"

 

For the cricket it was no time at all. A few years she had been gone, nothing more. But in truth he had been so long without her, he had grieved so long for her. Now whenever he imagined finding Bae again, Belle was by his side. "I will always love her. From the moment I met her to the day I no longer breathe, I will love her."

 

"That's good, that's good." Archie smiled at him. "So maybe it's time to make amends with her."

 

For the first time in all their sessions together, Gold leaned back on the couch, exhausted. "Don't you think I've tried that? It's not that simple. I apologised to her when she was in hospital, and then the next time I see her she's breaking my damn windows. That was three months ago. Since then every time I've seen her I get drawn into these little verbal skirmishes and all I want to do is throw her up against the nearest wall."

 

"To-to shut her up?"

 

Gold scoffed in Archie's direction. "No, not exactly." His hands gripped the grooves in the couch. "She's always confused me. Was always pushing the boundaries of where we stood. But since she's been back she seems determined to push me into doing something."

 

"Maybe that is what she's trying to do."

 

He shook his head. "I don't follow."

 

Archie smiled at him. "You said yourself that you pushed her away. The next move in your relationship is yours, not hers. You've apologised, but she wants something more. I would say that she wants what she didn't get before her disappearance. She wants confirmation that you love her."

 

The cricket's words made him pause. If it was true, that would mean that Belle still had feelings for him. Feelings that they could share, enjoy together. If he went to her, told her how he felt then maybe he would finally have a chance to be happy. But he knew he could never do it. He was a coward. And what if Archie was wrong and she was just punishing him? He couldn't lose her twice.

 

"I've got some business to attend to outside of town. Thank you, Doctor Hopper. I'll see you next week."

 

Archie's mouth gaped like a goldfish as he tried to continue on about Belle. But he couldn't. He couldn't tell her that he loved her. It wasn't even the rejection that bothered him. His self loathing refused to subject Belle to the monster inside him again. She had a fresh start in this world. It was best to let her have it.

 

X

****

In this world, Gold had his long fingers in nearly every part of Storybrooke that could generate him a little profit. He owned nearly two thirds of the homes and apartment blocks in the small town, not to mention half of the businesses down Main Street. He had the controlling share of the cannery, was on the board of Storybrooke General and he even had a stake in Grimm Bros Funeral Home. Once a month he went and collected the rent and also made sure everything was running smoothly.

 

Today, unfortunately, was the turn of the Tiki Hut, Storybrooke's one strip club located on the only main road out of Storybrooke. The rampant noise of the club faded as Gold stepped in, his cane the only sound over the obnoxious dance music. He wasn't fond of the Tiki Hut, although from a businessman's standpoint it did provide a great deal of income. However, after he left the establishment he usually felt like he needed a long, hot shower to scrub away the dirt.

 

But he needed to collect the rent, so here he was.

 

"Scotch, please. No ice," Gold hissed over his shoulder. He rested against the bar as he observed the dimly lit establishment, his presence thankfully no longer the focus of the clubs attendants. He could make out some familiar eyes amongst the patrons, but none of the girls struck a chord.

 

"Oh Mister Gold, I _really_ didn't think that this was your scene."

 

 _No, no, no!_ Turning from the dancing girls to the bartender, Gold met the smirking face of one Belle French. The last time they had seen each other had been last week when she had bumped into him at Granny's. She had spilt coffee all down his suit - the one day he had decided to wear a white shirt instead of his normal dark ones. In the end it was Sherriff Swan who had kicked them both out, shaking her head at the pair of them.

 

"Ms French," he greeted, his voice strained. Archie's words still reverberated in his skull and he tried to glance over her, to see if there was any sign that she had feelings for him. But as usual she was standing in a hostile manner, awaiting a fight he didn't want to begin. "I'm not the only one who looks out of place here."

 

Belle just shrugged. "Girl has to work. Especially considering the extraordinary amount my family pays for rent." 

 

Belle wiped her hands on a dish cloth as she looked at him, as she watched him eye her. The black jeans were tighter than the blue ones she usually wore. The red tank top cut low on her breasts, breasts that he had more than once thought about kissing. And that little golden pearl was still there. The one thing that made her Belle. That and her damn, all knowing smirk that he had been on the receiving end of too many times to count.

 

"Here for a lap dance, Mister Gold?" She raised her eyebrows saucily at him. "Blonde or brunette? Maybe redheads are more your type?" Belle grinned at him. The urge to throw her against the wall was growing. "You know there's a redhead dancing tonight. Anna. Sweet kid. She graduated high school last year."

 

Twisting his body round he met her gaze. Oh yeah - this was going to turn into a hell of a fight. They were due one, these clashes seemed to be a weekly arrangement. "I only collect the rent, Ms French. I don't hire the girls."

 

Belle snorted, breaking their staring contest to go to the liquor case behind the bar. She had finally decided to get his drink. Gold watched her shift up on her toes to get the blue label scotch that she somehow knew he liked - probably a curse created memory. He continued to watch her, watched the way her hands trembled with the glass tumbler, leaving it in the glass bucket for thirty seconds to make sure the whiskey kept cool but not diluted. She wasn't a bad bartender.

 

"It's probably a good thing you don't hire the girls, Gold," Belle teased as she stalked back over to his side of the bar. She splayed her hands out either side of her on the bar, giving Gold a good look at her cleavage down that red tank top. He could only imagine how it would cling to her if wet. "Not everyone shares your penchant for brunettes."

 

"And who said I was interested in brunettes, Ms French?" Gold rested his arms down on the bar next to hers. He smirked, enjoying this fight for once. No one was watching them, the music practically drowned out their words. He was so tempted to drag her to that little corner behind her bar and press his mouth to her neck. He wondered if she would let him. "Letting your fantasies run away with you, are you?"

 

"I'm not the one staring down my shirt."

 

"It's a very pretty shirt." Belle smirked at that, and for one brief moment Gold believed Archie. She pushed him because she wanted him. All he had to do was reach up and kiss her, whisper that he loved her. But he didn't. He just gazed at how that golden thread laid against her skin. "You ever thought about dancing here, Ms French?" The words came out before he could stop himself. But now all he could see was Belle in practically nothing at all pressed against his cock. __

"One of your fantasies, Mister Gold?"

 

He watched Belle retrieve his drink. No yelling, no fighting. Just playful banter. He liked it. "Quickly entering the top ten."

 

She left his drink on the bar, just out of his reach. "Are all ten about me, Mister Gold?"

 

He watched Belle look at him, all sweet innocent eyes and dirty mouth. He swallowed, and the snark in him returned a playful return that was all too wrong. "You think highly of yourself in my thoughts, don't you Ms French?"

 

It wasn't the right answer, and his drink ended up all over his head. She had poured him a double, and the freezing scotch was now running down the back of his neck. His hair would be sticky, both his shirt and jacket would need dry cleaning. Thank goodness he hadn't asked for ice. As he looked up, he saw Belle still holding the glass. She looked upset. Then she abandoned the glass and walked away, her shoulders shaking.

 

He wondered if he would ever stop being a coward and admit to _her_ how he felt. He wondered when he would ever stop hurting her by not acting, just hiding behind pretty words that didn't mean a thing.

 

X

 

Belle French heard her alarm go off but she couldn't summon up the energy to stop the damn thing. It wasn't as if she had a job to go back to anymore. Her manager, that _witch_ Nessa, had fired her after she had poured scotch over Gold's head. He had deserved it though. He should have kissed her, should have made some move. Belle wasn't sure what else to do to prompt Rumpelstiltskin into action.

 

Since leaving the Queen's asylum just over three months ago, Belle had adapted well to the world she now inhabited. She helped her dear father where she could; she spent time with friends both old and new. She even got to spend time with Rumpelstiltskin, even if all they did was argue. He looked different in his human form - handsome, but different.

 

"I do miss the leather," Belle whispered as she decided to get out of bed.

 

This _world_ was different, but more to Belle's tastes. Women could be mayors, sheriffs. They could be innocent, they could be promiscuous. They could be nuns or exotic dancers. Belle liked the freedom this world gave her. She liked the way she and Rumpelstiltskin communicated - the back and forth that was so different from their previous relationship. She loved it, enjoyed every second of the teasing and the arguing even if it never quite got her the result she desired. Belle hoped one day it would. She still loved him, after all this time.

 

Trying to ignore the ache in her chest, Belle pulled on a pair of jeans and a fresh shirt and headed out into town. She needed to find a new job, they needed the money desperately. Maybe if she got some work straight away she wouldn't have to tell her father she had been fired from the Tiki Hut. If she got work straight away she would never have to tell him she had been working there in the first place.

 

She ducked through the back ways of Storybrooke easily. After getting lost several times in this new place her feet finally knew the way to the unemployment office. This meant she could look round the town, admire the trees and the houses - something she had been denied for twenty eight years.

 

Of course this meant she wasn't looking where she was going, and as she turned the corner on Main Street she ran straight into a tall, strong armed man. He held her steady to stop her falling, and Belle remembered the weight of those fingers on her. It was Rumpelstiltskin who had caught her.

 

"Ms French," he whispered. "Off in a hurry, are we?"

 

Belle smiled faintly and watched as he jerked his hands away as if in pain. Not a great start. "The unemployment office, since I don't have a job anymore."

 

He seemed a little upset, and she wondered if he would offer her a job in his shop. The memories of that place were hazy and fake, but to him they were real. This curse had created similar memories of the other realm in this world, and Belle knew that her Storybrooke self loved the man in front of her just as much as the facade of Gold loved her. Pity both men were still cowards.

 

"I was actually just on my way to yours, Ms French," Gold announced when the tension got too much for them both. "My dry cleaning bill." He handed her a piece of paper and Belle began to use all her newly acquired curse words in her head. Her father would not be impressed, not when they earned so little as it was. Still, she made sure to brush her finger along his as he gave her the bill. She watched his eyes blink rapidly at her touch. _Kiss me, Rumpelstiltskin._

 

"If that'll be all, Mister Gold?" Belle asked, taking a step backward. "I need to go look for a job since you happened to make me lose my last one."

 

"Me? _You_ were the one who poured scotch all over my head, Ms French!" He snapped. "I had to wash my hair three times last night!"

 

She couldn't help it. She reached out and touched his hair, brushing a few strands away from his face. Belle exhaled softly. She could touch him here but had rarely allowed herself to do so. Merely grazing his face brought about stirrings in her stomach, forcing all the images she had ever indulged of him and her together to the forefront of her mind. He had to make the first move, dammit. In both sets of memories he was still in the wrong. "Wouldn't kill you to make yourself presentable, Mister Gold."

 

"I always look presentable, dearie."

 

Oh they were to dearie now. He always went into endearments with her when he was about to lose control. Normally that was when someone intervened - the Sherriff or Archie usually. But there was no one around right now. No one but the two of them tucked away in a corner of Storybrooke. She decided to push it. "You don't have to dress up for me, Mister Gold."

 

"You think I dress nicely to impress you, dearie?"

 

Belle smiled, and bobbed her head. "I know I do for you."

 

It was a simple, teasing revelation. She wanted him flustered, wanted to see him like he had been when he had given her that rose. She wanted to push him into admitting how he felt. Belle finally got what she wanted - a reaction. Instead of a flustered Rumpelstiltskin murmuring words, Mister Gold pushed her up against the wall of the nearest building, knocking the air out of her. But she didn't care, because his hands were on her hips and his mouth was so close to hers.

 

" _Belle,_ " he moaned, and she nearly sobbed at the sound. _Kiss me, Rumpelstiltskin. Kiss me, dammit._

She closed her eyes, waiting for the feel of his lips against hers. But it never came. Instead, when Belle opened her eyes, she found him stepping away from her. _Coward_. As he ducked his head, Belle honestly wondered what more she could do to make him see that she wanted him, that she loved him but she needed to know that he felt the same first. She couldn't keep doing this. She was reluctant to give up on True Love but if he was determined to be stubborn then he would only end up lonely.

 

An idea came to her then - one last push to make him do _something._ She licked her lips as she thought it over, wondering if she could pull it off. Her work in the club had led her to watch more of the dancers then she would admit, and at night she often imagined herself doing the same solely for Rumpelstiltskin's benefit. After one of their fights, she imagined him dancing for her. She could do this. And if this didn't work...she would leave him to his loneliness.

 

"I have a deal for you Mister Gold."

 

"Oh?" he asked breathlessly. She affected him, she affected him so badly and yet he refused to do anything. "A deal concerns two interested parties, dearie." Still with the dearie. "And I'm not sure if I'm interested."

 

The fact that he choked on the last syllable made Belle grin. "I need a job. Game of Thorns isn't doing so well, and as you well know our rent is extortionate. I want my job back at the Tiki Hut."

 

"Really?" The prospect of a deal seemed to have calmed him. A smile crept up at the corner of his mouth. "And what would I get in return for using my influence to get you your job back?"

 

Do the brave thing and bravery will follow. That was her way of life, and Belle did just that as she slid her arms around his shoulders and pressed her mouth to his ear. She was trembling. "I'll let you have one of your fantasies."

 

His hands moved to her waist again, gripping her. Belle bit her lip so hard to stop her moan that she drew blood. "You'd really do that for your job, dearie? I could offer you a job at the shop again."

 

"But that would still come with a price," Belle whispered. "What do you say, Mister Gold? Use your _rather large_ influence to get me my job back and you can watch me dance for you."

 

"You're playing with fire, dearie."

 

Belle pushed away from him and rested on her heels, arms crossed. She had never been afraid of him, not really. She certainly wasn't now as he trembled like a schoolboy in front of her. "Do we have a deal, Mister Gold?"

 

He paused, and for a moment Belle was sure he was going to say no. But the imp in him finally made a stand. " _Yes,"_ he hissed, his voice rough. "We have a deal Ms French. I only hope you know what you're getting in to."

 

"I'm sure it'll turn out fine. Our last deal did, after all." She beamed at him, not fully understanding why he looked so confused at her. Even in their curse relationship they had made a deal, Belle was sure of it. Those memories were growing hazy though, and soon they would disappear altogether. Belle just hoped that by then whatever curse held them hostage would be broken. Until then she could love the man that, no matter what realm they found themselves in, loved her.

 

"See you at ten, Mister Gold."

 

She left him flustered on the street corner. Her own stomach was tied in knots - by the end of tonight she would either be reunited with her love or she would be left alone. She held no high hopes for True Love's Kiss to reunite them. Her only hope was that Rumpelstiltskin would summon up the courage to let himself be loved.

 

X

 

How the hell had it come to this? He was waiting in his car, nervously gripping the steering wheel as he mentally prepared to watch his love, his _Belle_ , dance erotically for him. Maybe Archie was right, maybe she was pushing him for a reaction. Depending on how far she went tonight, she would definitely get a reaction. He was only a man, and he had spent too many years wanting to touch her to keep his hands to himself all the time.

 

What if he did give in, what happened then? If he kissed her, would that restore her memories? True Love's Kiss hadn't worked with dear Snow and Charming, so it wasn't likely to work with them. What if it was all some twisted prank to get him to beg for her, only then to be denied her. He could never imagine a Belle that cruel. Of course this was the woman who had scratched his Cadillac after he had upped her rent. But she was also the woman who had worn a red rose in her hair at the Miner's Day festival and had blushed bright red when she had caught him smiling at her - one of their rare moments when they hadn't been screaming at each other.

 

His mind kept churning over why he had even agreed to the deal. He did get to see Belle in very little, a fantasy which he had been nursing for decades. And she got to keep her job, which made the part of him that wanted her to be happy very pleased indeed. The real reason, the real reason though was one he didn't want to admit. His self control only went so far, his self loathing took over from there. Even today, with her up against the wall, he could not kiss her. He had run away. The friendless spinner that remained in him hoped that if Belle pushed him just enough over the line then she would break him. She could have all of him then.

 

He was still sitting in his car when Belle tapped on his window. He rolled it down. "Getting cold feet, Gold?" She was smirking at him. Damn girl.

 

"No, Ms French. Just...collecting myself."

 

She beamed at him, her eyes glinting in the neon light of the Tiki Hut. "You'll need to." He watched Belle sashay into the club, pulling her coat closer to her. A deal was a deal.  Time to do his part.

 

Entering the club, he saw Belle talk with one of the bouncers. She gave him a brief wave just before he was escorted to a private room in the back. Looking around, he felt himself grow anxious. There was a small stage with a silver pole erected in front of him, cold to the touch. The couch was long and circular, the plush red cushions stiff with starch. It seemed that it had been cleaned especially for his visit. One of the boys from the club brought him a healthy measure of scotch, and he drained half the glass in one go.

 

He could leave. He could run away yet again. But he needed her bravery to help him now, and if this was the only way then so be it.  

 

Just as he was about to ask for a refill, the door to his left opened. _Belle._ Her curls were loose around her shoulders, her face thankfully not plastered in makeup. He hated seeing such faces, they reminded him too much of the ladies who thought themselves better than him. But Belle had never been like that. They shared a smile as she walked in front of him. She was still wearing that long coat. It stopped just below her knees.

 

"Are you sure about this, Belle?" He loved saying her name, loved the feel of it on his tongue. "We don't have to do this."

 

She didn't answer. Her nimble fingers just plucked at the front of her charcoal coat and let it hit the floor, along with his jaw. Belle - _his Belle_ \- was standing there with tousled curls looking like she had just been thoroughly _fucked_. Her dark blue chemise barely graced her thighs; merely grazed the French cut panties and plunge bra she wore. It was held together with two thick strands of golden thread, the gold pearl she always wore around her neck.

 

"Are you backing out of our deal, Mister Gold?"

 

Belle walked over to him, kicking off her heels in the process. Probably a good thing, his love wasn't steady on flat feet, let alone on elevated ones. The room was deathly quiet, all Gold could hear was the sound of his breathing and a faint pulse from next door. He watched as Belle moved her hands up her legs and shifted the blue chemise up so she could straddle his thighs. He resisted moaning as her bare skin touched his legs. She leant in closer, brushing her lips against his ear. "I thought you didn't go back on deals."

 

She ran her hands up and down his suit, pushing under the jacket to touch his shirt. His breathing grew heavy, how was it possible this woman had such an effect on him? With her so close he noticed she wore little hoops in her ears, and he reached a hand up to touch the gold. He loved it when she wore gold. It was like she was wrapped up in little threads of him. "Only gone back on one deal, dearie. And it wasn't with you."

 

"Hmm." She pushed herself backwards, allowing her legs to rest either side of him. She felt so warm. Belle ran those delicate hands of hers up and down his thighs and Gold struggled to keep it together. How could he be undone so quickly by her? "How are you enjoying your fantasy so far, Mister Gold?"

 

Her hands were now on her thighs, making known her spread legs. Gods he was hard. Practically on a knife edge already. The coward in him pushed her away. "I've had better, Ms French."

 

She made that noise again, that doubting little noise that made him want to do very bad things to her. And now she was going to do very bad things to him, to prove him wrong. Belle reached for his hands and ran them down her shoulders, brushing her breasts in the process, and then down her thighs and onto his. Belle then twisted in his lap, swinging one lithe leg over him so they were pressed front to back. She leant against him, still holding his hands as she dragged them down her thighs to rest on bare skin. He had never imagined her skin would feel this smooth under his calloused hands. But the difference made him melt.

 

Her right hand moved away from his to stroke his face. It was so personal, so intimate. What did she see in him? Why did she love him, how could she? He didn't understand her. It was easier to believe that she didn't love him than deal with the truth that she saw something in him that no one else did.

 

"You're thinking."

 

"Yes, dearie, I am." He lowered her eyes to her. "Guess I'm just not that interested," he teased, liking the way her eyes lit up. That wasn’t the move of a coward, not this time. That was the move of an imp who wanted to see what she would do next.

 

"Let me see if I can change that."

 

Belle scooted out of his lap and walked to the pole in front of her. She smirked as she circled it, one hand loosely gripping the pole. He watched as she continued smirking at him - he knew that smirk. That smirk had led to the destruction of two gold spools worth of potions after letting her in his laboratory for an hour.

 

Gold watched his love swing around the pole, limbs twirling as she twisted around the cylinder of silver. The pole was between her legs, a place where only he should be. He couldn't believe he was jealous of an inanimate object, but she was practically making love to the damn thing as she swung around it. His mouth was dry as she dropped to the floor, breasts pinned against the pole. Her hands moved up and down it in a not unfamiliar motion. Then she was against it, her back and ass rubbing the long shaft. She would be the death of him.  

 

"Better, Mister Gold?"

 

He couldn't answer as he watched Belle walk around the pole, fingers moving deftly over the spaghetti straps that held the chemise over her body. The fabric pooled at her breasts before she shimmied the material down her body. Where had she learnt to be so sexy? Probably from a book - the best things came from books. And his Belle _loved_ books.

 

Belle kicked the flimsy fabric in his direction. It landed on his lap. She giggled. "You're torturing me, Ms French."

 

She shrugged, moving around the pole again. She brought her hands behind her back, gripping the pole and leaned forward. She was left in her underwear. He had never seen so much of Belle on display before. She was _glorious._ He watched as she snapped herself back to the pole, hands choosing now to glide over her skin. Her hands caressed her breasts, ran over her stomach. He watched her right hand trail down the rest of her body until it brushed the part of her he wanted most.

 

"So what if I am, Mister Gold? You torture everyone in this town." She moved away from the pole, hips swinging as she made her way towards him. The hand she had touched herself with brushed her curls back. "You know what the most incredible thing about you is, Mister Gold?"

 

He shook his head, lost for air as Belle stepped up onto the couch. Her feet squeezed his thighs as she loomed over him, fingers gripping into his shoulders. Her...she was right in his face. She moved down, crouching over him but still gripping his shoulders. One hand moved up to tangle in his hair, gripping the brown strands. "What is it, Belle?" he asked hoarsely. He was nearly at the point of no return. There would be no going back and a part of him didn't care whether this was a trick, whether Belle deserved better. He wanted her.

 

She pressed her lips to his ear again. "You come undone so quickly." She smiled. "This is the part in the dance where you touch me, Mister Gold. Are you brave enough for it?"

 

Gold gasped. She wanted him to touch her. He didn't know if he could, didn't know if he was brave enough to make the move. But when Belle brushed her lips softly against his ear, he made a choice. His hands immediately travelled up her thighs, teasing the soft skin. She sighed, beaming at him. "Good boy."

 

He lost himself, then. She returned to her standing position, gripping his shoulders, hips moving in his face. More than once she would let her fingers caress his neck or thread them through his hair. His mouth hovered over her body, his teeth and tongue desperate to tease her through that paltry fabric she called underwear. But his courage would only go so far. Instead his hands roamed her back, stroking the bare skin he found. She felt so soft, like the gold he spun from his fingers. He traced her spine with those same fingers, wanting her to be undone by him.

 

Belle's hands moved back to his shoulders and she started to shift down to his lap. He helped her, guiding her body down to grind against him. She rubbed herself against his crotch, his increasingly hard crotch. She rested her forehead against his as she continued to grind her hips. One hand cupped his face, thumb teasing his cheek bone. His hands couldn't keep to one place; he needed to have all of her.

 

"You've been holding out on me, Ms French," he groaned.

 

She shook her head, pressing herself closer to him. He could feel her nipples through the thin material of his shirt. "Serving drinks can get boring - only thing to do is watch." Belle pulled back and brushed some wayward hair off of his face. She was looking at him like she loved him - her eyes were bright and wide, her face so eager. "Do I match the fantasy, Mister Gold?"

 

How could he answer that? He loved her, he wanted to take her home and finish undressing her, show her just how she made him feel. He could feel his smile tugging at his mouth; feel his body lift as he held her in his arms. Her mouth was so close to his and if he just leaned forward he could kiss her. He could have her. She was looking at him so hopeful, but he couldn't do it. His meagre courage couldn't stretch that far, not enough to accept her love. She needed to go.  

 

"No. No, dearie, you don't."

 

Belle pulled back, her eyes as if from another time. " _That's a lie_."

 

Suddenly she was off of his body and reaching for her coat lying by the pole. She slipped it on without a word, brushing past him. Gold laid back on the sofa, still hard. He should go after her, he should reach for her hand and press her into his chest and kiss her until there was no breath left in her body. But he didn't have the courage. When the curse broke, when she truly remembered everything, she would run. This Belle thought she was in love with a dangerous man. But he was a monster, and no one could love him.

 

Pinching the bridge of his nose, Gold thought for a moment about her last words. He had said the same thing to her back in the Dark Castle before she had left. That morning she had used his same phrasing from the first time they met, mentioned their last deal. The way she looked at him sometimes, the way she brightened when he called her dearie when he was shouting at her. It all felt off when he thought of her as Belle French the florist's daughter.

 

But what if she wasn't? What if she was Belle LeFay, the Knight's daughter?

 

 _She remembered him_.

 

The truth came crashing down on him. His little Belle remembered everything, everything he had done and all who he was and she still wanted him. No matter what realm, no matter how far apart they might be, she still loved him. She loved him, she really did.

 

He found his courage in her heart, the heart he had been reluctant to accept for fear that he would have to give it back. But he would never have to. Grabbing his cane, Gold stumbled out of the strip club as fast as he could, desperate to catch up to her, desperate to make things right. But when he got outside there was not a single sign of Belle. He had screwed up, but this time he wasn't going to let her go. Not when he could finally love her the way she deserved to be loved.

 

He would make it up to her. He would love her and cherish her. He was ready to do that now. 

 

X

 

Belle couldn't stop the tears flowing as she caught a cab home from the strip club. The driver didn't say anything, just dropped her off outside her house. Belle used the back door and crept in, not wanting to disturb her father. He didn't come after her. He _never_ came after her.

 

She moved into the shower, trying to wash the scent of his cologne from her skin. But she couldn't. Belle kept feeling his hands move over her, kept feeling his mouth almost pressed against her body. She _craved_ him now, more than she ever had before. The cold shower couldn't quench that, couldn't make her stop wishing he had come after her.

 

He couldn't love her.

 

After her shower, Belle fell asleep on her bed having slipped on an old t-shirt lest her father check on her in the night. By the time she stirred it was midday and there was a pounding at the door. Groaning to herself after realising she would have to get out of bed to stop the knocking, Belle kicked on a pair of flip flops and walked down to see who would be disturbing her mourning period.

 

It was most likely her father having forgotten his keys. But when Belle tore open the door, a disgruntled accusation already on her tongue, she faltered. Rumpelstiltskin - Mister Gold - was standing there. His eyes were red and puffy, but they brightened when he saw her. Was he here to play with her heart again? She couldn't take it any longer. She gave and gave her love, wanting nothing but the same in return. She didn't want a lot. She just wanted him to love her.

 

"Mister Gold. What do you want?"

 

He smirked at her, before stepping over the threshold and clasping her face in his hands. "You, Belle. I want you."

 

A retort died on her lips as he pressed his against them. Belle moaned as she felt her lips being parted, felt him cling onto her. She closed her eyes as she felt him kiss her. It was rougher than the one they had shared in the Dark Castle, his mouth trying to take all of her in one go. Belle gave in to the sensation of his lips slipping over hers and when his hands moved to grab her waist she threw her arms around his neck.

 

Eventually his lips broke from hers, but his hands wouldn't let go of her. He had kissed her. He loved her, and his next words proved it. "I love you Belle. I can't begin to apologise for the mistakes I've made, for not going after you twice." His hands gripped her face again, forcing her to see the love in his eyes. "I will never let you go again."

 

She hugged him, her arms tight around his neck, fingers digging into his suit jacket. "I love you too, Gold."

 

He stiffened a little in her arms and pulled back. She wondered what she had done wrong, why the sudden coldness. His name. She had said his name. It was then that Belle wondered truly if he knew, if the curse hadn't affected his memories. If he had known all this time. "Rumpelstiltskin?" she asked, testing the familiar name out on her tongue.

 

"Yeah, Belle. It's me. Your monster."

 

She hit him on the chest and buried herself against him for another hug. He remembered. She would have accepted his love no matter what memories the curse had given him, knowing his feelings to still be true. But this was honest, this was their true love and they had each other again. They were together again. "My man."

 

They held each other, neither one of them wanting to let go. She felt Rumpelstiltskin wind his fingers into her curls, twirling one around his finger and letting it spring back. He hummed against her chest, and Belle's hands tightened in his shirt. He loved her, he had come after her. Everything would be okay.

 

"Are you going to stop picking fights with me, now?" Rumpelstiltskin teased after a moment, looking down at her with a grin.

 

She shook her head. "It's not my fault you're so dense."

 

Their embrace was shattered, his hands clenched tight by his sides. "Dense? I was trying to do the right thing..."

 

"No, you were being a coward." Belle crossed her arms over her chest, sad that their reunion had got spoilt so quickly. "I hoped that if I kept pushing you you'd get the message that I still wanted you, that I still loved you."

 

He ran a hand through his greying hair. She liked it straight, although she did miss his curls. Like she missed his leather. Belle wondered for a moment if, in exchange for another lap dance, he could dress up for her. "I don't understand why you do, Belle."

 

"That's one of the biggest reasons why. You have this kind heart in you that you'll let no one see. You don't think you can love, but you have the biggest heart I've ever come across."

 

She bit her lip, trembling. She squeezed her eyes shut, trying not to let the tears fall. Rumpelstiltskin was there almost immediately, wrapping his arms around her. "It's yours, you know." She looked up and watched him smile. "My heart is yours."

 

"And mine is yours," Belle whispered, resting a hand over his chest.

 

Their embrace lasted longer this time, both needing the others reassuring touch. Eventually Rumpelstiltskin pressed a kiss to her head and looked down at her. "We should talk, I guess. I've got lots to tell you - about the curse, my boy. I've got apologies to say, and time to make up for." He smiled. "I think I'll stick on the kettle."

 

Belle chewed over his words. Talking was good. Talking meant she could understand him better, they could move on as a couple. But talking wasn't what Belle wanted to do. She wanted to touch him. She wanted him to run his hands over her. She wanted him to make amends for abandoning her last night when if he had leant in and kissed her she would have let him take her on that filthy couch. She wanted him to make love to her. "Let's finish what we started last night," Belle whispered, dreading his reaction.

 

His eyes went up in surprise, but his grip tightened on her. "Belle, I'm not sure if that's a good idea. Propriety and all that shit." His voice had fallen, his eyes almost black in their haze.

 

Like the night before, Belle reached for his hands. She pressed them against her hips and then down to her upper thighs where the hem of her t-shirt lay against her skin. Her voice trembled as she thought about what was going to happen next. "I want this. We can talk later, right now I love you and I want you." Her love grinned. He was a bad influence on her. "Undress me."

 

Without a word, they pulled her t-shirt off and dropped it to the floor. His cane clattered after it, his hands reaching over to clutch at her greedily. Belle ran her hands up and down his shirt, enjoying the look in his eyes. That look of utter wonder and utter lust. Together they pushed his jacket off in the hallway and Belle yanked him by the tie to the nearest flat surface. She couldn't wait for them to walk up the stairs and to lock her bedroom door. She needed his hands on her _now_. The sitting room would have to do.

 

"Are you sure about this?" Rumpelstiltskin whispered again as he followed her happily, his own impish grin returning.

 

Belle rolled her eyes and pushed him to the sofa. She straddled him as she had done the night before, hips rolling over his. Those hands of his - spinner's hands - moved to squeeze her ass and then up her back, spanning her skin possessively.

 

"You keep asking me that. Rumpelstiltskin, what is one of the first things you ever heard me say?" Belle asked, pressing her hands against his neck. A finger from each teased the skin behind his ear.

 

He smirked as he pressed her closer, hands rubbing all over her body. She loved the feel of him, loved how warm she was getting because of _him_. "Oh Rumpelstiltskin, glorious Rumpelstiltskin, I want to be yours forever?" he teased, his eyebrows wagging.

 

Belle shook her head, pressing her body down in response. Her love growled as she grinded against his hardening crotch. It felt _good_ , and Belle continued to move like that. Her hands gripped his shoulder as she dragged herself against his body, enjoying the ripples of pleasure that the small movement created. Her vision grew hazy and she tipped her upper body back, Rumpelstiltskin's hands anchoring her from drifting too far off course. His face moved forward, hovering over her collarbone, mouth brushing her skin for the first time. The slight brush of stubble against her tender skin made her jerk in his arms.

 

"No one decides your fate but you," he whispered, finally giving her an answer.

 

She nodded, opening her eyes to watch him place kisses all over her visible skin. "Do you think I'd be here if I didn't want this? If I didn't want you?" She licked her lips. "Rumpelstiltskin, I love you. And I want you so much that if I don’t have you I will _scream._ "

 

Belle watched him tremble. There was still doubt; he had lived so many years thinking that no one could ever want him as she did. But it was being overridden by the sight of her atop him, grinding against him to chase the pleasure she felt. His hands moved from her back to undo the tie at his neck. He flung it away and moved to his chest, trying desperately to undo the buttons holding the fabric together. Belle tried to help him as quickly as she could.

 

" _Shit,_ " Rumpelstiltskin swore as they tried to undress him. "I've dreamt of this Belle, every night you were in that damn castle, every night since you came back and more nights than I dare to mention when you were away from me." As soon as the last button was undone they eased the shirt off his shoulders and chucked it away. His hands immediately cupped her face, emotion clawing at his. "I want you so much."

 

"Well you have me."

 

Belle couldn't stop touching him. She pressed her mouth to his skin, tasted the sweat on his body. His hands buried themselves in her hair as her mouth travelled up him, kissing every bit of him she could find. Her fingers brushed his nipples, the soft muscles of his chest. She kept squirming in his lap, enjoying the way he felt underneath her. Judging by his growls, he liked it too.

 

His hand lifted her mouth so he could kiss her again. His tongue snaked out, pushing against her lips to gain entry. Belle let him in, groaning as their tongues met. His hands moved down her body as they kissed. They only stopped when he yanked her hips around, pressing her back against his front. She looked up at him, pressing a hand against his cheek in question.

 

"I need to touch you," Rumpelstiltskin whispered, pressing wet kisses to her neck, pushing down her bra strap with his tongue. This was better. This was so much better than if they had done it in that strip club. She grew distracted when his hands moved down her body, the roughness of his fingers rubbing pleasantly against her skin. She shifted her thighs together, needing pressure there to stem the heat. His hands found her breasts, and Rumpelstiltskin massaged them through the bra, kneading them with his long fingers. "How does your bra open, love?"

 

She bit her lip, grinning lazily up at him. She moved to the clasp at the front, allowing it to come undone easily. His eyes shined in hunger and he helped tear the fabric away from her skin. Her breasts were bare to him and he couldn't keep away. Bold strokes of his fingers teased her, delicate than rough caresses as he squeezed her. His nail caught lightly on her nipple and her hips bucked. She felt so wet.

 

Rumpelstiltskin pressed his mouth to her neck again, his teeth nibbling gently on her skin. His fingers continued to tease her breasts, slow motions which grew faster, harder, his finger tips pinching her nipple so boldly it almost hurt. She writhed over his body, moaning his name as he touched her. His hands then changed path and moved over to her hips, helping her shift back up his body. Her hand tangled in his hair bringing him down for another kiss.

 

"I need you, Rumpelstiltskin," Belle breathed, shifting her hips over his thighs as his fingers traced the edge of her blue lace panties.

 

She leant her head back, groaning as his hands finally moved inside her panties. "You feel so hot," she heard him whisper. She couldn't concentrate on anything else after a hand moved from stroking her thigh to resting over her centre."Here, Belle? Can I touch you here?"

 

"You can have all of me," Belle whispered, throwing one arm around his shoulder. He kissed her neck again, teasing the love bite she knew he had made on her skin. His hand squeezed her inside her panties before spreading her legs wider.

 

"I thought about doing this in the Dark Castle, having you spread out like this for me," Rumpelstiltskin groaned, his fingers teasing her soaked skin. Belle's eyes snapped open. She had repeated his motions by herself, locked in her bedroom and often thinking about him and his _damn_ hands. But her fingers weren't his. They didn't feel so rough against her soft skin, didn't feel so good moving against the liquid that had pooled there as evidence of her arousal. Her own fingers didn't feel the same inside her as his did, filling her up so much that Belle never wanted his damn hands out of her.

 

His thumb from his spare hand brushed her clit, almost as if by accident but it caused Belle to arch against his body. She couldn't do anything but rub against him. His mouth moved from her neck to her breast, kissing her tender skin. Her hips leapt up again, taking his fingers in deeper as his teeth nibbled on her nipple.

 

"I'm never letting you out of my sight again," he whispered, his fingers still teasing her. The pressure was getting unbearable; she needed him to push her over the edge. She took the hand stroking her and pressed his fingers into the motions she knew she liked when she was this close. She moved his finger down in harsh strokes, needing the pressure there. Belle felt it building, she had to screw her eyes shut to cope with it.

 

"I love you Belle," Rumpelstiltskin whispered, the final push she needed to topple over the edge. She moaned his name again and again as waves of pleasure swam over her. His warm presence at her back added to her orgasm. When she came down from it, he wrapped two arms around her, holding her tight.

 

She was covered in a thin sheen of sweat, her panties soaked. Thankfully Rumpelstiltskin did the decent thing and took them off of her. Now she was free to roam against his body, buck naked and still full of need. His eyes didn't know where to go, so he just closed them and kissed her. Belle beamed. She had been dreaming about this moment for too long.

 

"You know, we can wait," he whispered against her mouth. "We still have a lot to talk about; we can do this another time."

 

Belle considered it for a moment. Her body was still warm, and his was even warmer. She wrapped her arms around his neck, pressing her forehead against his. They could wait, wait until they had done all their talking and her father had given permission. But she was tired of them dancing around each other, tired of talking and pushing but never getting anywhere. They both needed to start acting.

 

"I want you Rumpelstiltskin." She pressed two fingers to his chin, beaming at him. "I want you _now."_

"It'll hurt, love," He stroked her hair. "First times always do."

 

Belle kissed his bottom lip. "You won't hurt me."

 

Their kisses turned languid as they both reached for his crotch. Together they worked to undo his belt, his zipper. Working with dedication, Belle reached over and dragged his suit pants down his legs. She then crawled back on top of him, wrapping her arms around him. He clutched at her, holding her tightly. Belle squealed as he kissed her shoulder, hands spreading her legs over him. The boxers he wore were finally pushed and kicked away, leaving them both naked. And hot. And ready.

 

One of his hands wound into her hair, his other coming up under her, lifting her. Their eyes met: his checking once more that she wanted this. She kissed her acceptance and Belle felt herself be lowered down onto his waiting erection. She was sure her lip was a bloody mess, her teeth marks the only indicator of the pain she felt. But then Rumpelstiltskin's mouth was over hers, tongue pressing insistently against her, soothing her torn mouth. She lost herself, let herself get used to the feeling of him inside her. Hard, thick, _hers._

 

He cradled her, his hips slowly bucking. She let out a soft sigh as he moved inside her, thrusting slowly in and out of her. Her hands dug into his shoulders, nails making imprints in his skin as they made love. His mouth was everywhere, whispering endearments, licking up and down already aroused skin. His hands moved hers to her hips, helping her slide up and down him. She groaned as he pulled all the way out and then slammed inside her, the brief moment of loss replaced instantly by the pleasure of his return.

 

She buried herself against his chest as he continued to thrust inside her. He was getting close; his thrusts were slowly losing their rhythm. Her hand moved to touch herself, needing a little extra pressure to make sure she came with him. Rumpelstiltskin forced his mouth on hers one last time before he came, screaming her name. She rode out his orgasm, touching herself until she, too, came. His mouth licked the sweat from her chest as she writhed on his lap, both of them chasing after the last traces of their pleasure.

 

"Did I match up to your fantasy, Rumpelstiltskin?" Belle whispered against his skin after they had both returned to the world, barely hearing the words herself.

 

He kissed the top of her head. "My dear, Belle - you don't need to match up to anything." He pressed her head against his shoulder. He was breathing so hard. "You are everything I have ever needed, and you are everything I have ever desired."

 

They held each other until the cold of the house made the need to move a priority. Belle climbed away from him and began gathering their clothes together. She kissed him as she reached for his hand, wanting to take him upstairs where they could be alone.

 

The stairs creaked as they walked up them, but soon they were in Belle's bedroom. Rumpelstiltskin immediately dropped his share of their clothes and hobbled to her bed, slipping under the covers like he belonged there. She locked the door and then turned to him, a blush descending over her skin. Showers and talk could wait. She needed him close again.

 

"Hold me?" Belle asked tentatively.

 

Rumpelstiltskin grinned, holding his arms out for her. "Forever."

 

They lay on her sheets, thin fabric covering their bodies. Later on they could deal with their past, present and future. But that was later; Belle didn’t want to worry about it now. She and her love were reunited, and he was stroking her hair while they dozed together in her bed. They were together. She looked up at Rumpelstiltskin and kissed him softly. Nothing would come between them ever again.

 

Just as Belle drifted off to sleep, she heard her front door open and her father's voice call out: _"Belle? Belle...why is Gold's cane here?"_

 

It appeared they would be talking things out sooner than planned. 


End file.
